My 10 things

Ten random and pointless facts about moi.

1. I always do a shampooed mohawk everytime I wash my hair.

2. The first time I ever took a ride in a taxi was at the age of 18.

3. First album I ever bought was Definitely, Maybe by Oasis - but wasn't the first album I ever owned...which will remain a mystery.

4. I eat banana and cheese sandwiches regularly

5. My go to song on the guitar is The Drugs Don't Work by The Verve. One of the most genius and haunting songs of my generation.

6. I hate manderines.

7. The first crush I had was on Michael J. Fox after the I saw Back To The Future for the first time.

8. Every Christmas Eve, I watch Its A Wonderful Life and A Muppet Christmas Carol.

9. I have five nephews, I love them all to bits.

10. I have never ventured out of Australia. I fact I hope to rectify this year, as I am planning a trip to New York with a friend of mine. Fingers crossed!!

Quote of the Day

Community - Season 1 finale

Troy Barnes to Annie and Jeff (just after Annie confides to Jeff that she is leaving for good)

Troy: Oh my god.

*Annie and Jeff freeze thinking Troy has overheard*

Troy (contin): I can't believe no one has taken this cookie.

Top 20 Films!!! 20 - 11....

Hi there blog readers that don’t actually know mine exists…

So I just recently watched a TOP 20 film video blog from one of my favourite sites www.thatguywiththeglasses.com who normally reviews old crap films like Mortal Combat, Batman and Robin, Sidekicks and The Good Son – some of the best reviews I have seen in a while! So imagine my excitement when I see that he was doing a blog about his FAVOURITE films – I mean, if he is so passionate about the films he hates, imagine his favourite films?!?!

Alas, I agreed with only one in his top 20.
Basically, this has inspired me to create my top 20 list. Here it goes…

20. Let the Right One In

This Swedish film is immediately a classic with its tale of friendship and love between total opposite people. Oskar is an outcast of his peers and is constantly bullied by other boys in his class. The mysterious Ellie moves to Oskar’s neighbourhood, and her strange way about her is what attracts Oskar to her. With a icy backdrop, and murders of locals afoot, everything stripped away, this is a beautiful story of friendship.

19. House on Haunted Hill

Vincent Price is fucking cool. No question. The first time and subsequent times I have watched this film, I genuinely get frightened because of the fantastic pace and mood the film sets up. This murder mystery and ghost fest withstands the test of time, unlike the horrible horrible remake with Geoffrey Rush and Famke Jannsen.

18. The Shining

The Shining is Kubric’s finest. His surrealistic approach to a film always fascinates me, and I think his style suits this film to a T. Kids freak me out. Kids in a horror film scare the shit out of me. This film builds up the tension as Jack becomes more and more menacing to this deathly end. You just never know when he is going to snap, and the kid who has the gift of ‘the shining’ doesn’t help in relieving any tension during the film!

17. Les Comperes

I have seen this film in three different languages, and by far, this is the best one. Gerard Depardeau teams up with his usual suspect Pierre Richard in this hilarious story of a runaway teenage son with two possible fathers. After Tristen gets involved with deadbeats and runs away from home, in a bid of desperation, his mother calls two past boyfriends in order to find her son. Little do they know that she is deceiving them by telling each of them that they are his father, and not telling them of each other. Classic.

16. True Romance

This film, in the true sense of the word, is a celebration of cinema. Everything about this film is cool. Christian Slater, cool. Patricia Arquette, cool. Gary Oldman, fucking cool. Val Kilmer as Elvis? COOL! Tarantino pens this beautifully laid out script and Tony Scott breathes it to life. This is one of my favourites, and forever will be.

15. Edward Scissorhands

A fairytale where we follow the poor Edward, who has scissors for hands. Left alone after his inventor dies (played by Vincent Price - did I mention how cool he was?), Edward continues his existance hiding out in a run down mansion situated on a hill above a quaint little town. This soon changes when Peg calls on the house trying to make money by selling Avon (oh Avon). He is soon the townships new toy, and he falls in love with the beautiful Kim. His gentle nature and niavity plays against him, and he is soon outcasted. Johnny Depp plays Edward perfectly, and all other cast are fantastic additions (such as Alan Arkin...great!). The setting is typical Burton, which is a good thing. His obsure shapes and details are amazing. This film beautifully devistating, and I cry everytime I see it.

14. Once

The perfect romantic/musical film, AND its independent. Made with a mere $100,000, we watch Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova do what they love...play music. We follow a street busker in Ireland who meets a single mother from the Czech Republic who bond over music and a broken vaccumn cleaner. As their relationship blossoms, so does their music. The Oscar winning song "Falling Slowly" is performed beautifully in a music store, and manages to draw emotion even when performed in such a non-intimate place. This film effects me in so many ways, thus making number 14 on my list.

13. Psycho

This has always been my favourite Hitchcock piece - and I think that is the same with a lot of people. I just love the nior tone to the film, the dramatic shadows, the odd shapes, the eerienss which is created at the Bates Hotel. Anthony Perkins, who plays the classic character Norman Bates, plays him perfectly. During this time of filmmaking, there are a lot of actors who play 'stiff' (Humphery Bogart anyone?) and he is one of the first who I see relaxed and loose in his delivery. I love him, I love Hitchcock, I love this film.

12. Cool Hand Luke

Paul Newman is the BOMB. Anything he does, I am mesmorised by his charm. He is the very definition of cool. So him playing the character Cool Hand Luke is only fitting. His portrayl of the impulsive loner and undying will is unforgettable. So many memorable scenes in this film, the eggs (!), the prison guard beating up on Luke, his many escape attempts...this film is amazing.

11. East of Eden

My favourite James Dean picture, and it was his very first. Its hard to think what James Dean was in real life, was he anything like Cal? or Jim in Rebel Without a Cause? or Jett in Giant? who knows...but I always get a sense of him putting himself into a role that he tackled. He is one of the founders of 'method acting' and even with only three films under his belt, he died a legend. East of Eden shows the struggle to gain a father's love, and the length a son will go in order to feel loved.

10 - 1 is to come....

cando on the go-go

my itunes playlist for your pleasure....also my pick for 10 albums to listen to


cando on the go-go

1. Black Thumbnail - Kings of Leon (Album: Because of the Times) It took me ages to like this album, but I love it now! This song, I think is the best one from it! It starts of kinda acoustic, then powers into the chorus.

2. Make It Wit Chu - Queens of the Stone Age (Album: Era Vulgaris) I think this song is so sexy....well just listen to the lyrics!! haha

3. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) - Aretha Franklin (Album:I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You) I love listening to Aretha, and this is my fave of hers

4. Tomorrow Goes Away - Delta Spirit (Album: Ode to Sunshine) I like the chord progression in the beginning of the song, I like the use of minors

5. Rigors - Digginlillies (Album: Popula) I like the style of this song

6. My Beloved Monster - Eels (Album: Beautiful Freak) I saw Eels play last year at the Enmore Theatre in Newtown...amazing! This song in particular from this GREAT album is worth a listen

7. Am180 - Grandaddy (Album: Under the Western Freeway) I first heard this song in 28 Days Later, and fell in love with it...I like the 'Nintendo' sounds

8. Young Love - Mystery Jets (Album: Twenty One) Brit Band, features Laura Marling, a British Folk singer...i just think this song is cute.

9. Bloody Mother F***ing A**hole - Martha Wainwright (Album: Martha Wainwright) Female angst, gotta love it (hang on, this isn't a channel 7 promo!)

10. 15 Step - Radiohead (Album: In Rainbows) I love the opening to this song, so manic!



cando-a-go-go albums (in no particular order)

1. Abbey Road - The Beatles (a classic. really._

2. Robbers and Cowards - Cold War Kids (great album, but they are shit live!)

3. Extraordinary Machine - Fiona Apple (this album is my album of choice if I am hanging out in my room/cleaning/cooking/entertaining)

4. Bookends - Simon and Garfunkel (what can I say??? I love these dudes!!! My favourite track from this album is a track called America.)

5. Soft Bullitin - The Flaming Lips (I like the opening song of this album, and these guys a 'wikid' live)

6. Youth and Young Manhood - Kings of Leon (what can I say...this was the first album I fell in love with of KOL back in a cold winter in '03)

7. The Bends - Radiohead (Talk Show Host, The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees....just to name a few awesome tracks!)

8. Let Love Begin - Roger Loves Betty (its very VERY folk, got some great harmonies and some great influences of 50s pop)

9. The Swell Season - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (If you have seen the film ONCE and loved it....you would love this! plus album of choice if I am entertaining....in the bedroom!!!! )

10. Post - Bjork (one word. Hyperballad.)

quote of the day

quote of the day comes from the tv show 30 Rock

Jack describes his favourite $1000 dessert called "Lovers Delight"

Jack: Imagine a dessert for two, Tahitian vanilla bean icecream in a pool of cogniac, drizzled with the worlds most expensive chocolate Amordea Busiliana, covered with shaved white, black and clear truffles and topped with edible 25 carat gold leaf - can you imagine anything better?

Liz: I don't know, have you ever put a donut in the microwave??

kings of leon

sup,

so I saw one of my favourite bands last night, Kings of Leon @ the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

a bit of background of my love for KOL...

I first heard them in July 2003. I was completely blown away from their 1st album Youth & Young Manhood. I mean, I have never heard a band like them before in this day and age. They were four scruffy young men from Nashville Tennessee, who hid behind long hair, shaggy beards, and their instruments. The lead singer (who I have an undying love for) Caleb Followill - his vocals are so strained yet soulful. There is a hidden pain behind it....and little signs of it peeks through when you hear him wail out his lyrics.

I then saw them for the first time in February 2004 @ the Perth Big Day Out. They played the small stage at the same time as The Dandy Warhols (who had been around since '93, who has had a string of hits, and just released the controversial doco DiG! and their album Welcome to the Monkey House) then followed by Muse, so obviously, everyone decided to go see them. Not me. I wanted to see the four Followill's from Nashville who opened my eyes to a different sound to alternative rock, not just New York Garage stuff like The Strokes or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but a band who had the influences from their southern gospel upbringing, with hints of rebellion yet shyness.

Needless to say, it was one of the best shows of the day, and that day I was spoiled when it came to bands, I saw The Strokes, Jet, The Darkness, The Black Eyed Peas, Thursday, The Mars Volta, The Flaming Lips (who I chose to watch instead of Metallica, but thats a different story for another day). So all in all, I saw so many good bands, but Kings of Leon was up there for me. They played at approximately 4pm on a hot summers day. They sported there skinny jeans and tight shirts accessorised with chains around their neck. Particularly, Caleb wore these giant purple lensed sunglasses with white frames which was a touch androgynous, yet so sexy....his image of his shaggy long hair, short cropped fringe and glasses was the epitome of a man for me....he has set the bar, and I am yet to find a replica.

They toured again when the release of their second album Aha Shake Heartbreak started. I love this album, but obviously, not as much as the first, but the love is still there. You see, living in Perth, you don't get many bands coming to you, and if they do, its in a festival form such as BDO or Rockit or Southbound. Kings of Leon played BDO 2006, and I willfully attended the festival in order to see them. Obviously there were other great acts too, such as, Iggy and the Stooges, The White Stripes, the Magic Numbers, Franz Ferdinand, The Mars Volta....I was there to see KOL. This time, unfortunately, they played the big stage. Good for them, but bad for punters. The curse for punters when you watch the band on the big stage, the sound gets pushed by the wind, and there is nothing they can do about that. So me being a tiny little 23 year old girl standing at 5'1...there was no chance I can compete in a moshpit, no matter how hard I try...the sound was disheartening, but their growth of support from my hometown was encouraging....music like this was being heard by the 1000s.

2007, the release of their third album, Because of the Times. To be completely honest, I didn't like this album when I first heard it. I wasn't blown away, I felt that they were going nowhere in this album. Don't get me wrong, I actually LOVE IT now, but at the time....and I don't know if it was because of their growing popularity....but I just didn't get it. I didn't click with the album, or the music they were offering....I didn't see them tour Australia (let me know if I am wrong here) but I don't believe they toured Aust with this album...so I woudn't see them live again until 2009....

Which now brings me to date. Only By The Night is a sensational album. This album reminds me on why I fell in love with the band in the first place. Obviously is a bigger sound than Youth and Young Manhood, more of a studium feel (which I believe they were aiming for), but the music, sounds and feeling within the music reaffirmed with me why the are my favourite band. The opening track CRAWL is all rock, they set the mood for darkness and angst with CLOSER....this album is dark, dirty, sexy, and rock with their southern roots intact. I'd like to quote the album as a fangirl...its hot hot hot!

So this takes me to the concert I attended last night (such a long way to get here I know...but I really wanted to show how much I followed this band in the past, and plan to follow in the future....I am not a throw away fan who likes one song).

In anticipation of the show last night, I was psyching myself up, listening to all their records, hoping they will play a good selection from their first album....they didn't leave me disappointed. Kings of Leon walked out to a screaming crowd (I wish I had general admission, but because of their popularity, and the fact that I now live in Sydney...its a war zone to get good tickets...I ended up being in the grandstand) they opened with CLOSER, and if you know the song....you just stand there swaying, closing your eyes and breath in the energy and mood of that song....

Then they broke into CRAWL, another crowd pleaser...my friend Jason and I danced our little butts off! Further on into the set I was going to be pleased with their song selection.....it was the first 8 beats of the famous 'cow bell" (more cow bell!) which got me uber excited. They played my FAVOURITE track, CALIFORNIA WAITING!!! Funnily enough, I was the only one in my section that knew this song...which had me a bit confused (yes my friend Jason didn't know it...because I pretty much dragged him to this concert with him knowing only the latest album really).

After California Waiting...they continued on the Youth and Young Manhood track and played RED MORNING LIGHT! Again, I was the only one who knew this song....and the two idiotic guys who were next to me said "fucking get to the stuff we know". This is when I knew that the crowd (well the crowd surrounding me anyway) were throw away fans...they like Sex On Fire etc and thats it. As they finished Red Morning Light, they broke out into WASTED TIME (another favourite of mine)...no one knew it. But as soon as they played something from Only by the Night...the whole stadium erupted with the crowd singing along....this erks me, I'm sorry, I can't help it...it just does.

The idiotic guys next to me spent the whole time on their mobile phones, texting, and the people next Jason spent the whole time sitting down. This is a fucking rock concert, get off your arses. So it got me thinking....am I so far back because everyone at the front love ALL FOUR ALBUMS and have been a fan since 2003....or are they the new fans who don't know any of their previous stuff and will move onto the next cool band to come along when KOL start working on their fifth???

I'm all for new fans...but ones who a disrespectful, like the douchebags next to me, who disappeared for a while, then came back with a girl (who didn't have a seat and I have a feeling she was a hooker - she looked like one....and not a high class one), or were they loyal fans such as myself who waits for them to tour Australia....holds out for the tour....travels to Melbourne to see them play four songs at Sound Relief? (yes, I did)

I must say, it got me down.

But I stopped thinking that way, and just enjoyed the show, dancing the night away to good music, and anticipating each song with enthusiasm and wonderment, and all four Followill's left me feeling like I just had the best sex of my life.

quote of the day

quote comes from Darren Lamb from the BBC series EXTRAS


"Its only Barry from Eastenders"